


The Defender

by TheDumbBrunette00



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reader-Insert, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 20:05:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12967377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDumbBrunette00/pseuds/TheDumbBrunette00
Summary: You are the Media Correspondent for the Avengers and you absolutely love your job (even if it is hard as hell sometimes) but things will get even harder when James Buchanan Barnes comes to town.





	The Defender

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading, please remember to leave kudos and a comment down below and also bookmark for new chapter updates!

The first time Bucky met you, he admits he was intimidated. It’s almost funny, him, the big bad Winter Soldier, the fist of HYDRA, intimidated by you, a girl who cowered and ran away from anything lightly tossed too close to your face for your liking. It was almost laughable.   
Stepping off the helicopter behind Steve, the spinning propellers sending his hair slapping into his face, he was met with the group of people who he had been dreading to see: the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, all with some sort of personal vendetta against him.   
There was Tony Stark- the man whose parents he killed.   
Natasha Romanoff- the woman who he shot.  
Sam Wilson- the man whose car he ruined.   
Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton, and Scott Lang- the people who, because of him, were imprisoned.   
Vision- the...thing who lost his girlfriend because she was imprisoned, because of him.   
Then there was James Rhodes, who was paralyzed from the waist down because of some stupid fight. The man who had had the least to do with this whole thing, who probably didn’t even want to be apart of it in the first place, and yet, he was the man who had lost the most, the man who would never feel whole again.   
Bucky knew that feeling all too well.   
Suddenly, he found himself wishing for the relief of cryosleep, where there were no dreams to haunt him, no people to stare at and judge him, or if there were he wasn’t aware. But he had agreed to come back because of Steve, who had worked so hard to clear him of any and all charges against him by the United States. He couldn’t just hide out in Wakanda forever.   
Almost as soon as he stepped off the helicopter, Steve was greeted by a very excited Wanda jumping hinto his arms and pulling him close against her, this was then followed by the entire group walking up to the captain, welcoming him back, Tony giving him a handshake as if to say everything was settled, but no one spoke to Bucky, instead leaving him on the fringes of the group, close enough not to be obvious to a passer by, but just enough for him to know where he stood in their tight knit family.   
To them, he was an intruder, a boogeyman, a rabid dog who their lovable brother had welcomed into their home and refused to part with and they just didn’t have the heart to tell him it was that dangerous.   
It was ironic, when they were kids, back in the 40s, Steve was always the one excluded, the one who stood back on the sidelines while Bucky charmed girls and spoke with guys who didn’t see why he would hang out with a twerp. He would have started laughing had it not hurt so much.   
“It’s good to be home,” Steve said as Sharon planted a kiss on his cheek, a smile making its way onto his face. He had to admit, that was the one good thing about the twenty-first century, seeing his best friend happy and healthy and with a girl by his side...that and the lack of polio.   
“Where’s (Y/n)?” Steve asked the group when he noticed you weren’t there.   
“She’s at a press conference,” Wanda said softly, “she almost started crying when she realized she wasn’t gonna be here to welcome you back.”   
Steve shrugged, “I’ll see her tonight,” he said, “what’s wrong with the press this time?”   
The group quieted and Bucky suddenly had the feeling that his name was on every single one of their minds while they all simultaneously tried not to look at him.   
“I think it might be my fault, Steve,” he said, trying to crack something that resembled a joke and failing miserably, it just didn’t come out right.   
Steve gave him a sorry look, “what’s going on?”   
“Protesters everywhere,” Tony said, “Laguardia, Kennedy, Newark, alot outside the building, signs, bullhorns, the whole nine yards.”   
“Where’s (y/n) at now?” Steve asked, his tone turning slightly serious and concerned.   
“Laguardia with about thirty guards,” Rhodey said, “Tony wouldn’t let her leave without anything less.”   
“Laguardia?” Steve asked.   
“Yeah, someone leaked to the media that’s where you and the Manchurian Candidate over there would be flying into,” Tony said giving Bucky a glare.   
Steve was about to get defensive, but Sharon placed her hand on his chest, grounding him back to reality and suggested that everyone go inside and relax.   
As everyone filed into the tower, Bucky leaned over the roof and peeked down below at the sea of protesters, each one holding signs reading things like “He Killed Americans!” “Justice for His Victims!” “Nazi Scum!” “Monster” and he couldn’t say he blamed them. 

“You’re gonna like it here, we got a gym downstairs, a fully functioning lab, a library, and every Saturday Night is movie night in the theater!” Steve said enthusiastically as he sat with Bucky in his bedroom, “if you need anything just call for FRIDAY or you can just ask me or (y/n), we’re the only two in this hall.”   
“Who even is (y/n)?” Bucky asked, “this is the first time I’m hearing you mention her like, at all.”   
Steve smiled, “well yeah, we didn’t get to talk about much before you went into cryo, and she wasn’t involved in any of that ‘Civil War’ crap.”   
“Civil War?”   
“That’s what they're calling it,” Steve replied.   
“They should get better names,” he said.   
Steve laughed a little before they settled into a comfortable silence.   
“Seriously though, you’ll like her, I promise,” Steve assured, “she’s really nice and funny and smart as hell, y’know she’s the one who came up with the idea for movie nights?”   
“Really?”   
“Yeah, she’s always trying to get us to watch terrible eighties movies,” he said, “sure, the effects are better than what we had in our day, but they’re still hilariously dated.”   
“Steve, were hilariously dated,” Bucky said causing Steve to laugh once again sending a sense of pride through Bucky as well as a sense of hope that maybe he wasn’t as damaged as those people outside said he was.   
“Yeah, I guess we are, Buck.” 

You threw yourself face down onto the couch when you came home, peeling your heels off and chucking them at Sam who complained that you ruined his view of the TV.   
“I am the view,” you joked and he laughed at you.   
“Hey, FRIDAY,” he said, “tell the rest of the team that (y/n)’s back.”   
“Yes, Mr. Wilson,” said the automaton.   
“Wow, finally got her to stop calling you ‘Red Robin, YUMMM,’ huh?” you said.   
“Yes I did, and Tony said that that was your little idea of a prank,” Sam retorted.   
You shrugged, “what can I say?”   
Just then, Steve entered the room and you squealed and squeezed him into a hug.   
“You’re really here! Like really here!” you said, pulling back you inspected him further, “God I missed you so much! You missed so many movie nights we have to catch you up!”   
“You didn’t miss much, just some stupid movie about a dude with a chainsaw hand and demons,” Sam piped up.   
“Evil Dead II is an American classic, birdboy,” you said with mock offense.   
“It’s Bruce Campbell just getting beat up by inanimate objects, his dead girlfriend, and his own severed hand at one point, I don’t know how that’s classy,” Tony said as he entered the room.   
“Ugghh, you have no culture,” you said, returning to your spot on the couch, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”   
“Was that a Lion King reference?” Natasha said as she came in.   
“No, I’m just that good,” you said laughing.   
“Speaking of how good you are, how was the press conference?” Tony asked taking a seat next to you while Natasha and Steve did the same.   
You closed your eyes and leaned your head back, “same old same old,” you said, “prejudiced idiots not knowing the full story thinking they can outsmart me.”   
“They never can,” Steve said, “can they?”   
You laughed, “not a chance in Hell.”   
“Hey Buck!” Steve said suddenly, causing you to open your eyes and look up at a man you hadn’t even noticed had walked in, “this is (y/n)!”   
He took you in, assessing everything about you, sizing you up as if to see if you were worthy in some way.   
Your very presence was enough to command attention, and your big personality had everyone practically orbiting around you like you were the sun. You looked exhausted but somehow still presentable in a beige blouse, black dress pants, and with your (y/h/c) hair pulled back into a ponytail, your makeup only now beginning to wear. You had Bucky in the palm of your hand by the time Steve had mentioned your name and only now was he realized how completely inadequate he was to be there.   
He was a monster after all.   
You smiled at him, leaning your head back and closing your eyes, “you, mister, owe me big time,” you said.   
Bucky’s heart nearly stopped at those words. Had you been one of the people he hurt?”   
“Those people outside are vultures,” you said, “y’know one threw a balloon filled with paint at my head?”   
“What?” Tony asked.   
“Don’t worry, I handled it,” you said, “but it took alot out of me, y’know.”   
“I-I’m sorry,” Bucky said, stumbling over his words, “I…” what else could he say?”   
Noticing his worried tone, you looked up and gave him your easiest smile, “it was just a joke, sorry,” you said, “you don’t actually owe me anything, I’m (y/n) by the way.”   
Bucky was completely taken aback, how did he respond?   
“Bucky,” he said.   
“Well, Bucky,” you said his name, having it roll off your tongue like water, “are you gonna join us for movie night tonight or what?”   
“It’s not Saturday!” Steve complained.   
“I know, but you need to catch up,” you said, “so, you up for it?” 

And that was how Bucky was here now, you between him and Steve, a popcorn bucket on your lap and a smile on your face as you watched the main character, Ash Williams, give some big speech about his gun to some medieval peasants.   
Steve had passed out somewhere between now and the second movie, but Bucky was wide awake, entranced both by you and the movie, how could Steve say these weren’t the best special effects he’d ever seen?   
Suddenly, you grabbed the remote and paused the movie, turning and looking at Bucky before speaking very quietly as to not wake Steve.   
“Hey, I just want to let you know I’m sorry about earlier,” you said, “I sometimes forget who I’m talking to and I just wanna let you know that I wasn’t being serious when I said ‘you owe me,’ I was trying to be funny, and please don’t feel bad for anything, and I mean anything, I understand since I’m not an idiot and I’m really glad you’re here.”   
Bucky stared at you for a few seconds before he found his voice, “uh, thanks?” he said, somewhat confused, why were you apologizing again? You were already one of the nicer ones in the compound, the only one who, besides Steve, had accepted him without another thought, what were you doing?   
“Alright,” you said, “I just wanted to make sure everything was smoothed out, my anxiety was off the fritz all night.”   
“Oh, okay,” Bucky said, “I didn’t know you had anxiety.”   
You smiled, “I hide it well.”   
At this, Bucky found himself letting out a little chuckle, not much, but enough to make you smile wider.   
“So, do you wanna get back to the movie, or do you wanna sit here and listen to me make jokes because honestly I’m up for both,” you said.   
He laughed again, “don’t take this the wrong way, doll,” he said, “but I’d rather watch the movie, these are some of the best effects I’ve seen.”   
You gave him a mischievous grin, “just wait until I show you Star Wars.”


End file.
